


The Things That Could Have Been

by GalacticHalfling



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Genre: F/M, International Fanworks Day 2021, Mehra's POV, Melancholy, title may change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:40:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29403519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalacticHalfling/pseuds/GalacticHalfling
Summary: Caius has been recalled to the Imperial City, and Mehra muses.
Relationships: Caius Cosades/Mehra Milo
Kudos: 1





	The Things That Could Have Been

**Author's Note:**

> To me the remarks in dialogue that Caius and Mehra make regarding each other always read as subtly romantic so I was really surprised that I couldn't find a single entry for that pairing - especially since Caius is such a popular character. I'm rubbish at romance, but I tried to remedy this shortage to the best of my abilities. 
> 
> This has only been beta-read in a somewhat rushed setting - and neither my beta readers nor me are native speakers, so feel free to point out any mistakes.

The air was almost clean, with only the faintest hint of ash on the salty breeze. Sitting on the stone steps outside of Holomayan, looking over the Inner Sea with the morning sun glinting on the small waves it almost seemed as if everything that had happened in the last couple of weeks had happened in a distant dream, or to a different person. Mehra knew that it was nothing but an illusion. While she was sitting here, enjoying the peace of the scenery, the monks and Dissident Priests inside were already debating the implications in the recent uptick in Inquisition arrests. While she was sitting here, all of Vvardenfell was still under quarantine with the dread Corprus disease spreading further and further. The threat of Dagoth Ur was still growing by the day with their only hope that this one mer who Caius had sent their way would somehow turn out to be the Nerevarine.

Truly, there was no shortage of bleak news. And yet the one part that Mehra’s thoughts returned to again and again was Caius’ departure. He hadn’t even left a letter. Not a single message passed along through the agent he had sent to rescue her from the Ministry of Truth. Was this once more a choice born from some obscure and paranoid secret agent habit? Or was it a personal one? At least he hadn’t left of his own volition. Llelwyn had mentioned that Caius had even considered disobeying his recall order. Mehra had wanted to ask if he knew more, but in the end she hadn’t. There were enough people who would consider her and Caius’ … something fraternization. If what they had had could even be called ‘something’. Caius had always been guarded and slow to trust, and Mehra… Mehra was a priestess. The Temple was easily the most conservative faction in Morrowind. The simple truth was, Mehra had been too afraid to take the initiative. Had told herself that she was content with a soft smile here, and hands meeting for a moment longer than natural there. And now Caius was gone, would likely never return.  
Perhaps it was for the best. There could never be true honesty with a spy. And Caius would have never given up his spy work, even though Mehra had seen how it had slowly eaten away at him, had driven him first to powerless rants about the unfairness of the world and then to skooma. Also, there was the fact that he was human. Mehra had known him for all of 13 years, and yet she had seen him go from a dark haired fighter to a weary, grey-haired old man. It would never have worked out.

And yet… and yet… when they had spent evenings talking over a bottle of sujamma or two, it had almost felt as if together they could be brave enough to change their lives – or maybe even the world.

Instead the world had changed them, and their opportunity had passed.


End file.
